A Tense Discussion
by xFillyStarx
Summary: Two wolves who used to be genuinely close now find an invisible barrier building between them. Rated T for one or two curse words.


**While taking a casual browse through my desk drawers the other day, I came across this little snippit that I'd written a long time ago, but had forgotten all about. I'd forgotten how proud I'd been of this so, after a little editing and cleaning up, I decided to post it for nostaglia's sake.**

**This might seem a bit weird at first, but that's because this is slightly AU. I just took a scene from Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days and wrote it in animal style. Why? I don't really know. Sometimes I like to take human characters and imagine them as animals. Again, I don't know why. It's sounds like fun (one more excuse why my brain is so messed up :D). Also, I'm calling this a KH/Wolf's Rain Crossover only because I don't know where else to put it. Should I move it to the KH section alone? Or should I leave it like it is? **

**Anyways, so here it. Enjoy this weird little one-shot/drabble/thing. Constructive feedback is much appreciated. Flames are not. -.-'**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Wolf's Rain (even though technically no one from WR even show up). I just own this fic.**

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><p><strong>A Tense Discussion<strong>

Pawsteps outside the den made him look up from his nest, only to find a familiar figure standing at the mouth of the cave. The wolf's gray fur had an unusual bluish sheen that stood out as much as Axel's flame-red fur. His handsome appearance ended there, though, for Saix was wearing his typical stony expression that meant business. Narrowing his own unusually green eyes in resentment, Axel turned away and rested his muzzle on his paws. He was in no mood to hear Saix nagging him again.

Without saying a word and not caring that Axel had his back to him, Saix stepped into the shadow of the cave and strode right up to the red wolf. He stopped only when he stood next to him.

At first, Axel just ignored him and pretended to be sleeping. But after five minutes of tense silence, he cracked one eye open. Saix's shadow was clearly visible on the opposite stone wall. Axel felt his presence too, felt Saix starring daggers into the back of Axel's head. Still, Axel ignored him.

Finally, impatient with the pest hovering over him like an gnat, Axel huffed out a snarky greeting, "What do you want?"

Saix ignored the question. "Tell me. What Xion is up to." he said firmly. The sentence was more of an order than a request. Saix got to the point quickly.

But obedience was not Axel's forte.

"How should I know?" the red wolf snorted, still not looking at Saix. He let out a fake yawn and gave a casual stretch. "I'm not her babysitter." he added lazily.

Saix cocked one ear ever so slightly. "Oh?" he replied coolly. "But you two are awfully close, aren't you?"

Saix's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Exhaling another huff, Axel threw Saix a sideways leer. "So what? You expecting me to rat out on my friends, too?" The red wolf's throat quivered with the beginnings of a snarl and his neck fur bristled. "Get outta my den, fleabag."

Saix didn't budge. Completely unperturbed by Axel's insult, his face remained stone rigid as ever. "It's a shame your attitude hasn't improved. Especially if you want to put a good impression on your _pet_ later_._"

Axel found himself cocking his head a little, half in irritation that Saix just called his friend a "pet" and half in interest about the blue-gray wolf's sudden discreetness.

Apparently, his confusion must have shown on his face, for Saix nodded his muzzle. "You and Xion will be executing the afternoon patrol." he declared.

As quickly as it come, Axel's confusion vanished, morphing into aloofness. Stretching, he rolled over on his back, his bushy tail sweeping up flurries of moss. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." he drawled. "Thanks for walking all the way up here just to tell me that."

Saix's beady golden eyes flashed with the faintest hint of irritability. Then he added, "We also need you to inspect Canyon Oblivion tonight."

Inwardly, a spark of curiosity nagged the back of Axel's mind, but he refused to break his own pokerface on the outside. Still on his back, he cast an upside down glance at Saix. "_We?_" he echoed. "Or _you?_"

Yet another deadpan stare.

"That place hasn't revealed all its secrets." Saix explained. "And there's one in particular that Lord Xemnas is interested in."

Emitting a groan that was anything but subtle, Axel turned back on his side and looked fully at Saix for the first time. "You mean the cave." he muttered, as if he were a pup tired of being told the same thing over and over again. "We searched every inch of that place. If there's anything hiding in that ravine, we would have found it already."

Saix exhaled through his nose, showing the first sign of true impatience (or any emotion at all) since he'd first entered the den. "You know as well as I do that it's not going to be lying out in the open on a silver platter."

Axel twitched his nose and reached up to rub it with his paw. "Then _why_ are we even bothering?" he growled wearily.

The tiniest hint of a smirk flashed through the Saix's amber eyes. "Perhaps another incentive will spur your motivation?" he suggested furtively.

Axel could not stop himself from looking up, ears pricked.

His smirk now reaching his mouth, Saix continued, "Namine is not the only wolf who was born in Canyon Oblivion."

He said this like it was the most obvious thing in the world and Saix was pleased to know that this was clearly news to Axel. Not wanting to give Saix the benefit of knowing he was right, Axel sat up and locked gazes with the bluish-gray wolf. But no matter how hard he tried, Axel could not prevent the wave of curiosity surging through him in that instant, causing his neck fur to tingle a little. It irked him even more when he saw the gleam growing brighter in Saix's narrow, yellow eyes. Saix knew. Axel was on the hook.

"Yes," Saix crooned in an eerily soft tone. "Your two favorite wolves come from the same place. Still think another visit is a waste of time?"

Axel swiveled his ears thoughtfully for a second, but then he rolled his jade green eyes and laid back down again. "Whatever," he harrumphed, his growl growing more insistent.. "You're the one who wants me to go. Don't try and dress it up as a favor."

Saix countered with a soft, yet cold growl of his own. Axel pricked his ears again. For the first time, he sensed a difference in the Superior's deputy's tone of voice. Axel tilted his head, this time not bothering to hide his concern.

"Let me guess," he said slowly. "That cave will tell you everything you need to know about Xemnas's plans. Is that it?"

The blue-gray wolf lifted his muzzle gravely. He gazed past Axel at the stone wall with an uncharacteristically absent look in his eye. He seemed to be looking at something that Axel couldn't see.

"The Cave of Sleep," he murmured. "And its antipode, the Cave of Awakening." His voice was soft, almost pensive, but it held so much reverence that he might as well have been announcing the day the moon falls to the earth. Saix turned back to Axel and his eyes were now filled with a decision Axel had never seen in the blue-gray wolf before.

"Xemnas isn't telling us something." Saix said flatly. "And the missing cave-the Cave of Awakening-holds all the answers." He flicked his ears toward Axel. "We need to gain the upper hand. For our own reasons."

Yellow eyes bored into green. Axel swept his tail across the ground, deep in thought. Judging by the clouded look on his face, Saix could only guess he was still struggling with some inner conflict.

Finally, Axel said with a sigh, "Look. I knew Vexen and Zexion would be obstacles." Something dark flickered across his eyes and his claws unsheathed ever so slightly. "When have I ever complained about the dirty work?" Axel continued in a low whisper, casting Saix a glare that dared the blue-gray wolf to test him. "I've cleared the way to the top for you. Do _me_ a favor and don't trip on the way up, y'hear?"

For the thousandth time, all Axel received was another deadpan stare. He could've sworn Saix was x-raying him with those impassive amber orbs that should have been eyes. Axel starred back, his face equally stiff and blank (though, with more anger blazing in his eyes), determined not let his former companion get under his skin. Then, as though nothing had happened within the last few minutes, the Saix turned on the spot, mechanically, automatically. As he moved, he said decisively, "A solo mission in Canyon Oblivion, then."

With that said, Saix made to leave the den, his steady body movements showing no hint of the true feelings he concealed deep down inside. Only the fact that Axel had known him for so long let him know that his ex-best friend was pissed with him.

Just as he reached the mouth of the cave, Saix stopped. He didn't look back once as he added over his shoulder, "Expect the orders soon." Then he passed around the corner and out of sight.

Axel lowered his head and ears heaved out a long breath. Saix was always bitching about how he, Axel, had changed, but Axel knew that this strange, emotionless wolf acted nothing like the cool and clever puppy he once got along with so well. Well, if Saix wanted to play secret spy or whatever bullshit he was up to, let him play. Axel didn't care. He stopped caring about Saix's opinion a long time ago, so long as it didn't affect his own free time with the two youngsters he'd come to care about. The last thing Axel wanted was to freak out Roxas and Xion, seeing how young they still were … they wouldn't understand …

Axel sighed again and rested his muzzle on his paws. Despite everything, though, Saix's words still buzzed around in his mind.

"Xion … and Namine …" he mused, picturing the young black she-wolf beside the golden-furred one. "What do they have to do with anything?"

Almost snarling in frustration, Axel rolled onto his back and glared up at the roof of the den, as if hoping the answer to this mystery would appear on the stone. But, of course, it didn't.

Snorting, Axel lay back on his side, closing his eyes. All this thinking was giving him a headache. He should really focus on getting some shut eye. He would need all the strength he could get if he was going to go travelling afar again. Axel didn't care about his upcoming mission. He only wanted to get it out of the way so that when he got back, he could worry about more important things. Like what kind of prey he and his new friends should hunt down next.

Yet at the same time, another voice rang louder in his head, _but you are curious, aren't you, Axel? Aren't interested in what's hidden in that canyon?_

Axel snarled angrily to himself and rolled over in his next again, practically burying himself in moss. This was going to be a long night.


End file.
